Photoactivators

Abstract

Photoactivators comprise a photoactive moiety and a hydrophilic moiety. The photoactivators preferably comprise less than about 35%, by weight of the photoactivator, of the photoactive moiety. The photoactivators can be activated to a photo-excited state by excitation with incident radiation of a wavelength between about 350 nm and 750 nm, preferably between about 350 nm and about 420 nm. The photoactivators further encompass those having certain chemical formulations.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to photoactivators and their use in compositions comprising one or more of the photoactivators to generate one or more benefit active agents, effective as a bleaching agent, stain remover, or antimicrobial and / or in eliminating biofilm. The present invention also relates to methods for cleaning and / or bleaching surfaces, and for providing a method of disinfecting or sanitizing surfaces and / or removing biofilm.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Cleaning compositions are used throughout the world in people's homes and workplaces. These compositions range from surface cleaners and disinfectants to bleach for removing stains from one's clothes or teeth. However, conventional cleaning and whitening compositions are limited by the standard chemistry which generates the cleaning or whitening attribute of the composition.[0003]Conventional low cost cleaners, such as chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite), are limited in their ability to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]It has now been surprisingly found that providing a photoactivator according to the present invention enables the generation of one or more benefit active agents effective as a bleaching agent, stain remover, or antimicrobial and / or in eliminating biofilm. It has also now been surprisingly found that providing a photoactivator of the present invention in a consumer product composition, can produce a consumer product composition that is effective as a bleaching agent, stain remover, or antimicrobial and / or in eliminating biofilm.

Problems solved by technology

However, conventional cleaning and whitening compositions are limited by the standard chemistry which generates the cleaning or whitening attribute of the composition.

Conventional low cost cleaners, such as chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite), are limited in their ability to disinfect and sanitize.

For example, such systems have limited benefit on biofilms, a complex biological community formed extensively in the natural environment by bacteria.

Such reactions are highly volatile and toxic and are, therefore, not desirable for home applications.

However, multi-compartment packaging is more expensive and can still allow premature mixing of the components and accidental generation of chlorine dioxide.

As such, such systems are undesirable.

However, such processes are undesirable due to the health risks associated with exposure to ultraviolet light, the degradation which can occur to the other components of the cleaning compositions, and the use of an insoluble inorganic photoactivator.

In addition, titanium dioxide forms particulates which leave undesirable residue on surfaces and requires additives to suspend in and imparts opaqueness to compositions.

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